SDPI Guidelines Unit09

1 9: CURRICULUM and Curriculum Planning 3 Changing Needs: Planning Challenges3 Curriculum Planning for Curriculum Planning6 Rationale for Subject Departments6 Subject Department Structures8 Approaches to establishing a Subject Department8 III. Approaches to Curriculum Planning10IV. Curriculum Planning Process11 Outline of the Planning Process! Early Action Planning Route11! Foundational Route12! Monitoring and Planning Process:Activities and Worksheets189: 2 Curriculum Planning MaterialsSection V: Table of ContentsPageActivity 1: Reflection on the establishment of a Subject Department 19 Planning Materials:Worksheet 1A: To Consider the Introduction of a Subject Department 20 Worksheet 1B: To Consider how the Subject Department will operate 21 Activity 2: The Review of the Subject22 Planning Materials:Worksheet 2A: Diagnostic window23 Worksheet 2B: SCOT Analysis25 Worksheet 3:The Holistic Dimension27 Worksheet 4:Subject Department Policy Checklist29 Activity 3: Planning for the Subject31 Planning Materials:Template 1:Aims and Objectives31 Worksheet 5:Individual Teacher Reflection on Methodologies33 Worksheet 6:Key Learning Skills 35 Worksheet 7:Effective Teaching Strategies 37 Template 2:Subject Methodologies 39 Template 3:Subject Resource Needs 41 Template 4:Subject Planning Policies and Procedures 42 Template 5.

2 Curriculum Content 1. Long-term Planning47 Template 6:Curriculum Content 2. Year Plan 49 Template 7:Curriculum Action Plan Template50 Sample:Curriculum Action Plan for a Subject51 Template 8:Subject Department Staff Development539: 39:CURRICULUM PLANNINGThe fundamental purpose of School Development Planning is to ensure that all students experience a quality education appropriate to their needs in a changing world. Its key focus is the enhancement of student learning. Curriculum may be defined as the full range of learning experiences encountered by the students. Clearly, then, curriculum planning is central to School Development purpose of this unit is: To highlight the importance of collaborative curriculum planning within theSchool Development Planning framework To explore the notion of the Subject Department as a structure to facilitatecollaborative curriculum planning To suggest approaches to curriculum planning for subject departments thatreflect the planning models described in Unit 2 To outline a range of collaborative curriculum planning activities To provide worksheets and resource materials to support these and Curriculum PlanningChanging Needs: Planning ChallengesThe desired outcome [of School Development Planning] is the provision of an enhanced education service, relevant to pupils needs, through the promotion of high quality teaching and learning, the professional empowerment of teachers, and the effective management of innovation and change.

3 (School Development Planning: An Introduction for Second Level Schools, p. 9)In order for planning to be effective, the school plan must address the school s needs as articulated by the teachers and their school partners. School Development Planning works on developing an awareness of these needs, not only in terms of managing the local world of the school but also in terms of the wider needs of the students as members of recent Irish reports have highlighted the planning challenges that arise because of the changing needs of society:Increasingly, society is requiring educators to re-think and re-vision the kinds of learning environments that will produce creative, generative and critical thinkers who have the ability to develop and grow in tandem with the growth of society.(Multiple Intelligences Final Report,Anne Rath, UCC, April 2000)The changing and increasingly complex nature of societal, community and school settings makes particular demands on teachers knowledge, personal and pedagogical skills, powers of adaptability and decision-making ability.

4 (Report of the Steering Committee on the Establishment of a Teaching Council, June 1998)9: 4 These challenges have informed thinking on school and curriculum planning and have influenced the development of curriculum planning materialsSpecific challenges confronting the development of curriculum in Irish schools include: The culture of individualism among teachers The absence of a tradition of professional dialogue The domination of examination results The changing and increasing demands on schoolsCurriculum Planning within a whole-school context addresses those challenges by offering opportunities for teachers to: collaborate engage in debate and reflection become empowered as educatorsCurriculum Planning Framework The basis of an approach to Curriculum Planning is outlined in School Development Planning: An Introduction for Second Level Schools(pages 46-48), where it is suggested that four general aspects of curriculum should be reviewed as part of the planning process:1.

5 Curriculum Provision2. Curriculum Planning and Coordination3. Curriculum Implementation: Teaching and Learning Processes4. Curriculum Outcomes: Student Progress and Attainment 1. Curriculum ProvisionAreas of Curriculum Provision which may usefully be reviewed include: Subjects, Programmes, Courses, Levels Time allocations, Options structures Provision for Students with Special Needs Breadth and Balance Relevance and Differentiation Co-curricular ActivitiesIn the context of such a review, it is noteworthy that two significant Irish reports Do Schools Differ? (Emer Smyth, ESRI, 1999) and From Junior to Leaving Certificate: A LongitudinalStudy of 1994 Junior Certificate Candidates who took the Leaving Certificate in 1997 (NCCA, 1999) have highlighted how a school s curriculum policies and implementation procedures can determine the subject choice and the subject level choice of the student and ultimately affect the outcomes attained by the booklet, School Development Planning: Curriculum Review at Junior Cycle (NCCA/SDPI,2001) offers a set of curriculum review instruments to assist schools in reviewing their juniorcycle curriculum provision in order to plan for its development.

6 The booklet can be downloaded from : 52. Curriculum Planning and CoordinationIt is important for the school to look at its arrangements for Planning and Coordinating the Curriculum. A review of this aspect of curriculum would explore: Structures for Planning Procedures for Collaboration Programme Coordination Cross-Curricular IssuesSchools may need to ask such questions as What structures would help? or How can teachers work together? The introduction of new curriculum programmes, such as the Transition Year, Leaving Certificate Applied and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programmes, has led to the development of structured approaches to programme work is also being undertaken within these programmes, with varying degrees of review of arrangements for curriculum planning and coordination may enable the school to identify creative approaches within the new programmes that could fruitfully be applied in other areas3. Curriculum Implementation: Teaching and Learning ProcessesThe basic purpose of curriculum planning is to ensure effective learning that is relevant to the full range of students educational needs.

7 In pursuing this purpose, the school may find it helpful to: Review its current situation with regard to: # the grouping of students for learning (streaming/banding/mixed ability grouping)# teaching methodologies# classroom environment # classroom practice Explore the impact of these aspects of school life on student learning Consider whether classroom processes are serving the aims and objectives of the curriculum and promoting the development of students as effective and responsible learnersThere is much excellent practice by teachers in Irish schools, but traditionally there have been relatively few opportunities for teachers to express or analyse, to share, discuss, refine, develop or disseminate good practice in the wider school or among peers. A collaborative approach to curriculum planning fosters the sharing of good Curriculum Outcomes: Students Progress and AttainmentIn reviewing curriculum outcomes, the school may usefully examine: Its current methods of assessing student progress and attainment How students levels of attainment compare with their standards of attainment on entry to the school How students levels of attainment compare with national standards of attainment9: 6 What students have actually learnt, in terms of both holistic development and academic achievement, on completing any given programme or course in the schoolTo draw these strands together, this unit provides materials to help the school to adopt the subject department as a focus for curriculum review.

8 This will enable the school to: Promote collaboration Establish common purpose Develop communication Foster the sharing of good practice Provide support Encourage interdependence and mutual responsibility It would be important for the school to provide a structured programme of staff development to support collaborative curriculum planning at whole-school a programme might address whole school curriculum issues such as the following: Homework Policy Thinking and Learning Multiple Intelligences Effective Methodologies Special Needs and Learning Support Assessment and Reporting Team DevelopmentClearly the individual school will identify many : for Curriculum PlanningThis section: outlines the rationale for introducing subject departments suggests a range of possible structures which may be helpful in organising the subject department provides materials to promote reflection on the introduction of subject departments and on how the subject department might best operate in the individual Rationale for the Establishment of a Subject DepartmentThe Subject Department may be seen as an ideal vehicle for curriculum planning in the school as it affords the opportunity for teachers of the same subject to collaborate and to support each other in sharing good Subject Department offers an opportunity for teachers and the school to: Establish common purpose and direction in teaching the subject Develop communication among subject colleagues Promote collaboration with subject colleagues in order to.

9 # Share good practice# Provide mutual support# Review subject needs Decide on matters of policy and procedure for the subject (within the whole-school framework) Coordinate assessment practices Manage subject resources effectively Enhance continuity and progression in student learning through coordinated subject planning and subject development Create a useful and convenient forum for communication and consultation with other school personnel and structuresSubject Department ActivitiesThe range of possible activities which might be undertaken by the subject department includes: Liaison with the Principal and other colleagues, Career Guidance teachers, Exam Secretary, Learning Support teachers, other subject departments Organising subject resources and accommodation Communicating with book companies and resource providers Convening meetings, preparing agendas, negotiating times list of possible activities is not exhaustive and will depend on the traditions and structures in the school.

10 Each subject department will operate within the framework of the whole-schoolapproach to such issues9: 8 Helpful Structures in Organising the Subject DepartmentThe decision on structures will depend on such matters as school size, school tradition and culture, the number of teachers in the subject department, etc. The issues to be addressed by the school and the subject department will include: Approaches to Coordination# Team of subject teachers with a coordinator who has a Post of Responsibility, or acts in a voluntary capacity# Team of subject teachers with the role of coordinator rotating between members# Faculty grouping of similar subjects (effective where there may be only one teacher of a subject)# Cluster planning with teachers of same subjects from other local schools(Whatever coordination structures are adopted must be on the basis of teamwork where ideas and associated tasks are shared among the team collaboration and involvement are key words) Infrastructural Supports that will be provided in terms of.